Folding door guide,stop and retainer



Feb. 18, 1969 c. A. KIRBY 3,423,109

FOLDING DOOR GUIDE, STOP AND RETAINER Filed Feb. 1 3, 1967 XMWJ harles iKirby INVENTQQ United States Patent Olfice 3,428,109 Patented Feb. 18, 1969 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A folding panel arrangement having a stop means on the leading panel which cooperates with a retainer to maintain the panels positively secured when subjected to shock and stress in the closed position.

This invention relates to a stop and retainer for the leading lower edge of the leading panel of a folding door.

In the use of folding doors consisting of vertically arranged anchor and leading panels hinged to each other, a problem is presented in that means are not provided for stopping the opening motion of the door at the desired point, and for retaining the leading lower edge of the leading lower panel in the closed position of the door. As a result the door never is secured positively and undue strain is put upon the door panels and their mountings whenever the door is subjected to shock and stress in its closed position.

It accordingly is the object of the present invention to provide a combination folding door guide, stop and re tainer which guides the door to its fully closed position, which arrests its closing motion and which retains its loW- er leading edge securely when the door is closed.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a folding door guide, stop and retainer which is easy to apply, adaptable to folding doors of varying size and style, of attractive appearance, effective in operation, and locatable in an out-of-the-way position where it does not interfere with use of the doorway.

The manner in which the foregoing and other objects of my invention are accomplished will be apparent from the accompanying specification and claims considered together with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a foreshortened view in elevation of a folding door incorporating the combination guide, stop and retainer assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view illustrating the mounting and operation of the herein described assembly and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the assembly with the door removed to show the interior construction of the assembly.

Broadly considered, the presently described folding door guide, stop and retainer comprises a V-shaped recessed retainer unit, retainer unit mounting means for mounting the retainer unit in a horizontal plane on the lower portion of the door jamb adjacent the leading panel of the folding door, a spring pressed plunger unit, and plunger unit mounting means for mounting the plunger unit in a horizontal plane on the lower leading horizontal margin of the door.

The plunger unit is so arranged that its plunger extends forwardly beyond the plane of the leading vertical edge of the door. The head of the plunger is dimensioned for abutting reception in the V-shaped retainer unit mounted on the jamb.

Accordingly, as the door is closed, the head of the plunger is guided by the V-shaped retainer to the central portion of the latter which acts as a stop, absorbing the shock of arresting the closing motion of the door. The retainer unit further acts as a means for temporarily retaining the door in its closed position, thus preventing injury to the door and its mountings when the door is closed.

Considering the foregoing in greater detail and with particular reference to the drawings:

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the combination folding door guide, stop and retainer of my invention is adapted for use in a framed opening defined by floor 10, a header 12, and a pair of vertical door jambs 14, 16.

The folding door is composed of two sections, an inner or anchor section 18, and an outer or leading section 20 hinged together in folding door relation by means of hinges 22.

Header 12 mounts a track 24 across the entire width of the doorway, centrally thereof. The folding door unit is mounted in the doorway in known manner by means of a lower pivot pin assembly 26, an upper pivot pin assembly 28 and a guide roll assembly 30 which works in track 24.

It is apparent that in the following construction thus described, both upper corners of the folding door are secured, as is the lower inner corner thereof. However, the lower, outer corner comprising the lower portion of the leading panel hangs free when the door is extended and closed. Accordingly the door is not completely secure and is vulnerable to damage.

The present invention overcomes this problem by the provision of a combination door stop comprising a retainer unit, indicated generally at 32, and a spring pressed plunger unit, indicated generally at 34. The construction of these two units is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Thus retainer unit 32 comprises a V-shaped guideway 36 terminating at its apex in a squared recess or socket 38. Retainer mounting means are provided for mounting the retainer with the guideway arranged horizontallly on jamb 14. Such means may comprise a flange or extension 40 extending downwardly from the guideway and provided with apertures for the reception of mounting screws 42 by means of which the retainer is secured to the jamb.

It will be noted that flange 40 also serves as a spacer, spacing the retainer upwardly a predetermined distance above floor 10, locating it in a plane in which it operatively will engage plunger unit 34.

The latter unit is mounted on the under surface of the leading portion of leading panel 20. It comprises a case 46 provided with openings for a pair of screws 48 by means of which the unit may be secured to the door panel.

Case 46 is formed with guideway 50 which extends longitudinally the entire length of the case. The rearward end of the guideway is provided with a constriction 52.

Case 46 further is provided with forwardly extending webs 54 of predetermined length. These lie fiat against the undersurface of the door panel and serve the urpose of spacing the case an operative distance from the front edge of the door.

A plunger 56 of stepped cross section is positioned within guideway 50. The central section of the plunger has a diameter which is somewhat less than the width of guideway 50.

The rearward end of plunger 56 extends outwardly and rearwardly of the case through constriction 52. It is provided with a keeper 58 having a diameter larger than the diameter of constriction 52 so that the under surface of the keeper seats against the back wall of the case.

The outer or leading end of plunger 56 is formed with an integral head 60 having an enlarged cross section which places it in sliding contact with the inner walls of guideway 50.

Head 60 is sufliciently long so that its outer segment extends completely outside the case and beyond the plane of the leading edge of door panel 20. It is provided with a squared end 62 dimensioned for reception in socket 38 in guideway 36.

Resilient pressure is placed against head 60, urging it continually to its extended position by suitably constructed and arranged resilient means such as a coil spring 64 encircling plunger 56 with one of its ends bearing against the inner case wall defining constriction 52 and the other end bearing against the inner wall of plunger head 60.

It is to be noted further that for ease of manufacture, installation and repair, the upper side of case 46 is left open. This means that the under surface of door panel 20 serves as a cover for the case, retaining plunger 60 in its operative position.

The hereindescribed asssembly easily is applied to a folding door when the unit first is installed, or subsequently after it has been in use. First, guideway unit 32 is fastened to jamb 14 by means of screws 42. When thus secured, it spaces guideway 36 upwardly a distance such that it is cleared by door 20 but engaged by plunger unit 34.

The latter unit is secured to the under surface of the leading margin of panel 20 by means of screws 48. It is so located that the head of plunger 60 extends forwardly beyond the plane of the leading edge of the door panel, in alignment with socket 38 of guideway 86.

Accordingly when the door is closed, the lower unsecured portion of leading panel 20 approaches guideway 36, whereupon the head of plunger 56 enters the guideway even though not precisely aligned with its central portion. Further closing movement of the door guides head 62 of the plunger into socket 38 where it snaps in place, urged by the pressure of spring 64. At the same time, the plunger acts as a resilient stop arresting the closing motion of the door before damage can be done to the mounting units of the door or to the door frame members.

The door thus remains in its closed position, secured at all four corners so that it will not be damaged if subjected inadvertently to shock. However, if it is desired to open the door, it may be opened in the usual manner, whereupon plunger head 60 is withdrawn from guideway 36 and the door folded to its open position.

It accordingly will be seen that there is provided an apparatus in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted for the conditions of practical use.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. For use with a vertically disposed folding door assembly including an anchor panel and a leading panel hinged to each other and mounted in a doorway defined by a header, a pair of jambs and a floor, a stop and retainer for the lower leading edge of the leading panel, comprising:

(a) a V-shaped retainer unit,

(b) retainer unit mounting means for mounting the retainer unit in a horizontal plane on the lower portion of the door jamb adjacent the leading panel,

(c) a spring-pressed plunger unit comprising (1) a case having a longitudinal guideway therein,

(2) a spring pressed plunger mounted in the guideway and extending beyond the planes of the case at both of its ends,

(3) retainer means on the rearward end of the plunger for preventing its withdrawal within the case,

(4) and a head on the leading end of the plunger extending beyond the plane of the leading vertical edge of the door, the head being dimensioned for reception in the V-shaped guideway,

(d) plunger unit mounting means for mounting the plunger unit in a horizontal plane on the lower leading margin of the leading panel, with the plunger extending forwardly beyond the plane of the leading vertical edge of the leading panel, and

(e) the leading end of the plunger being dimensioned for abutting reception in the V-shaped retainer unit mounted on the jamb.

2. The stop and retainer of claim 1 wherein the upper side of the case is open and pressed against the underside of the door panel to which the case is secured.

3. The stop and retainer of claim 1 wherein the V-shaped retainer unit is provided with a socket at its apex and wherein the head of the plunger is provided with a segment of reduced cross section, dimensioned for releasable locking reception in the socket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,882,962 4/1959 Hollansworth 160206 X 2,876,582 3/1961 Rosenthal 160206 X 3,019,836 2/1962 Leigh 160199 3,102,582 9/1963 Rudnick 160206 3,361,188 1/1968 Rudnick 160-118 PETER M. CAUN, Primary Examiner. 

